One type of sheet metal nut which has been proposed for securing panels in place can be see in U.S. Pat. No. 3,426,818, issued on Feb. 11, 1969 in the name of Marshall T. Derby. As shown in the U.S. Pat No. 3,426,818 patent, the Derby nut is formed of a single-thickness metal and includes a top portion, a bottom portion, and a connecting portion that integrally joins the top and bottom portions to define a bifurcation space. The bottom portion is integrally formed with a resilient retainer having an end portion which has a thickness larger than that of the metal of the nut. During installation of the nut on a panel, the end portion on the retainer engages a hole of a panel and positions the nut for receiving a bolt.
The sheet metal nut according the present invention has certain functional similarities to the Derby nut, however, differs therefrom structurally in that, rather than utilizing a resilient retainer of a type described above for locating the nut relative to a hole in a support panel, one of the plate portions is formed with collar provided with a crimped portion. The crimped portion defines a circular nib which is axially aligned with the opening formed in an internally threaded collar provided on the opposed plate portion of the nut. During installation of the nut onto a sheet metal support panel, the crimped portion is adapted to drop into an accommodating hole of the support panel. Thus, the crimped portion serves as a locator for the nut and, in addition, the collar which includes the crimped portion has a similar function with respect to the article being attached to the support panel.